Dr Lynn Simpson

Sentient Veterinary Member

 

Lynn Simpson has had an eclectic life to date. To say she gets bored easily is an understatement. Her formal qualifications include an undergraduate degree in Veterinary Science and a Masters degree in Veterinary Epidemiology (Qualitative mainly as she states the math makes her brain hurt!). She also has a postgraduate certificate in surgery, AQIS/ Live export accreditation, a gun and heavy truck license. The full third world large animal pack, essentially.

 

In her formal work, she has: lectured to live export stockmen to teach them how to manage a ship full of livestock on the open seas; helped to rewrite /update Marine Orders 43 (Live export ship standards) and Australia’s Standard for the Export of Livestock; and  contributed to the pre-ship loading livestock inspection regime.

 

Her informal training and experience, however, are even more interesting. She spent a while in Thailand with WSPA (now World Animal Protection). Six hours off the plane she found herself on a “flying fox” with a search and rescue dog strapped to her chest. ‘Savannah’, the brave dog, is given all credit for holding Lynn’s sweaty paw and talking her through the initial plummet! Within hours, Savannah then led Lynn through an old abandoned, half built University, soon to be reclaimed by the jungle for search and rescue training and snake dodging.

 

Experiences that followed included swimming in the Red Sea to retrieve two Brahman bulls who decided to jump ship. They were destined for Israel, but heading for Jordan. With boots and overalls on, she swam out and intercepted them, making them turn 180 degrees back to Israel after a sketchy game of “splashies” from Lynn and facial snot blowing by the bulls. By swimming like a crazed Kelpie, the bulls were soon heading across the right side of the shark net. All that was left to do was evacuate the private dive club they had come ashore to and eventually sedate, tie and remove them from the restaurant that now had a bovine makeover.

 

Otherwise, Lynn says she enjoys not walking her dogs and listening to music.